instructables

How to Make a Log Splitter - Kindling Splitter

by MaxPower1977

In this Instructable, I am going to show you how Imade a stationary wood splitter, it can be used to splitlogs or make kindling. Making kindling is what I needit for, using this stationary splitter is much safer thantrying to split wood using an axe or hatchet. The tophas a square frame to keep the hammer or your hand

away from the blade when in use.

It works by holding the wood over the blade and thenhitting it with a mallet or another piece of wood.

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Step 1: Materials and Tools

There are very few materials needed to make the splitter, but a welder is required.

Materials:

10 foot long rebar cut to:4 pieces @ 8"5 pieces @ 7 1/16"2 pieces @ 12"4 pieces @ 5"

7 3/4" x 1.5" x 1/4" steel plate

Tools:

WelderAngle grinder with cutting disc and grinding discHack or metal bandsaw (optional)Welding Magnets (optional)

Step 2: Video

Here is a video assembling the wood splitter:

//www.youtube.com/embed/z9L_WhRuCX4

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Step 3: Design and Build

The design is very simple but effective, I got inspiration from pictures I saw online.

Frame:

Make an 8" square from the two 8" pieces and two 7 1/16" pieces of rebar, do this twice so there aretwo squares;Tack weld the squares to hold;Using the welding magnets, line up the 12" rebar perpendicular to one side of one of the squaresand then tack weld in place;Repeat on the other side;

Blade:

The blade is made from a piece of 7 3/4" x 1.5" x 1/4" thick steel plate cut into a semi-circle like thehead of an axe;The blade is welded to a 7 1/16" piece rebar;An edge was ground into the plate steel using an angle grinder and a grinding disc or sanding flapdisc, it doesn't have to be super sharp, just sharp enough so it will split wood.

Assembly:

The blade assembly was welded mid way between the two vertical 12" rebar pieces;Using the 5" rebar pieces, they were ground with an angle so they could be welded between thebottom square and vertical 12" rebar as support bars;All the welds were reinforced with additional welding before use.

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Step 4: How to Use

The use of the splitter is very straight forward, hold apiece of wood over the blade and hit it with a hammeror another piece of wood. You can split wood intovery small pieces and you hand is never close to theblade. Lining up smaller pieces of wood is supereasy.

An option is weld on a few pieces of flat bar and then

drill some holes so the splitter can be screwed into achopping block so it stays steady when in use. Thiswould be particularly good if you want to chop largelogs.

Hope you found this Instructable useful and check outmy other ones.

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